Health Departments

A local health department is a district health department, a public health authority or a county health department that exists to meet the mandate of the NC General Assembly (section 130A, NCGA General Statutes), ensuring that all citizens in the State have access to “essential health services.” The State of NC identifies “essential health services” as those services that are fundamental to promoting and contributing to the highest level of health possible for the citizens of NC. Medicaid recipients are entitled to receive the services provided at a local health department which may include, but are not limited to child health, personal health, chronic disease control, communicable disease control, family planning, maternal health and dental health. Local health departments follow the same Medicaid policies as other health care providers.